


Two Kingdoms

by Blue_Night



Series: Five Kingdoms [1]
Category: Football RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Alpha!Robert, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Anal Sex, Anger, Brothers, Children, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, Falling In Love, Fights, First Time, Happy Ending, M/M, Magic, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Story Arc, mentioned mpreg, omega!Marco
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-07 00:44:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10348542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night/pseuds/Blue_Night
Summary: Once upon a time, there were five kingdoms on a beautiful world, and two of them were the largest ones: The Black Kingdom ruled by Alphas, and the Golden Kingdom ruled by Omegas. After a terrible war, the two kingdoms shut down their borders to never have contact again. Will four brothers be able to change fate for the better?





	1. Black Panther, Golden Lion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GoForGoals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/gifts), [mariothellama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariothellama/gifts), [Janie94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janie94/gifts), [eafay70](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eafay70/gifts), [pinkquill22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkquill22/gifts).



> My dear readers,
> 
> this story can probably be considered as some kind of swang song because it will be the last posting for at least a while. I don't expect it to get more love and feedback as my other stories have gotten (except for one or two that have gotten more), it will probably get even less, because it is not the classical A/B/O-story that consists mostly of sex, while mine are usually more fairytales and focus on the dynamic between Alphas and Omegas and not on the sex alone.
> 
> But it's my birthday today and I want to celebrate it with my most faithful readers and friends, who are the only reason why I'm still there and didn't delete my account last week.  
> Most of my stories are usually greeted with silence, and I couldn't help but notice the silence especially my last Durmeus-oneshot 'Loving Your Pain Away' was greeted with. I don't know whether it was the story itself or if my heartfelt thank yous in the notes were so offending, but it hurt and it hurt much more than the silence I usually have to face under my works hurts.  
> I have almost 70 user-subscriptions, most of them must come from this fandom. But where are these readers wanting to get an e-mail-notification whenever I post something new? My stories are getting only few kudos and hardly any user kudos, let alone comments. They are seemingly not good enough to be bookmarked anymore, and if yet someone does, than only as a private one, just as if it was a shame to admit that one of my works was worthy to be bookmarked.  
> This might sound bitter to you and you're right. I can't help but feel bitter about the silence my readers gift me with, because this relationship between you and me has become a pretty one-sided thing, you taking my stories I gift you with without wanting to give me anything back, and without love from both sides, every relationship is doomed to die.  
> I will leave my account online for as long as I'll need to finish 'The Other Race' and 'The Lord And The Teacher', but I can't go on like this any longer, not without your love, your visible feedback and approval to my stories.
> 
> Dear eafay70, you are an amazing young woman and have become very dear to me over the last months. I admire you for your strength and your will to go on no matter what, and I feel honored that I know you. Thank you so much for telling me again and again that my stories are worthy to be read when hardly anyone else did, you can't imagine how much it means to me. <33
> 
> Dear pinkquill22, we know each other for a rather short time only, but you have been one of my most faithful readers ever since then, and your wonderful comments are one of the reasons why my account still exists and why I wrote this story. Thank you so much for each of your lovely words, they mean more to me than I can tell you. :'-)
> 
> Dear Janie94, I am so very, very grateful that I started to read your stories and came to know you because of that. You're very dear to my heart and I feel blessed and honored to call you my friend. My life would be much darker without your amazing fics and your invaluable support. Thank you so much for putting up with me through the last roller-coasters and for always praising my works and supporting them the way you do. I will comment on your gift for me tonight when I'm home again, I can't wait to read it. :-*
> 
> My dear GoForGoals and mariothellama, there are no words in this world that can express how much you and your friendship mean to me, and how blessed and honored I feel because you are my friends, not only here on AO3, but in real life as well. Thank you so much for always being there for me when my life is a living hell again, thank you for supporting each and every of my stories and for all your love, you are my lights in the darkness, my dears. And thank you so, so very much for your gifts, I will read and comment on them as soon as I'll get home again today. :-** <33

Once upon a time, there were five large kingdoms spread across a beautiful world, and two of them were the largest ones.

They were called the Black Kingdom and the Golden Kingdom, and they adjoined each other, the Black Kingdom ruled by powerful Alphas while the kings of the Golden Kingdom were not less strong Omegas.

The heraldic animal of the Black Kingdom was the black panther, and the heraldic animal of the Golden Kingdom was the golden lion.

These two kingdoms had lived in peace and harmony next to each other for a very long time but then, a war brought horrible hate and pain to both empires because the new king of the Black Kingdom wanted to become the ruler of the Golden Kingdom as well, trying to expand his own kingdom by annexing the Golden Kingdom and unite it with his own realm so he would become the most powerful ruler of every kingdom that existed. This king was a proud and malicious Alpha, who said that no Omega could ever be a good and powerful ruler of any kingdom because Omegas were only born to submit to the stronger Alphas and could never be worthy enough to rule over the Alphas living in their kingdom.

The war went on for years, there were so many losses to be mourned as time went by, and neither the black army, nor the golden army was able to defeat the other party and win this war. When there were only few men left who could have fought against each other, the Black Kingdom and the Golden Kingdom negotiated a truce, went back to their own territories and shut down their borders afterwards to never talk to each other again.

For the next two hundred years, the two kingdoms didn't have any contact again, the inhabitants of both realms hating their neighbors with all of their hearts.

Life had become hard and sad in the Black Kingdom after this war, and some of the inhabitants longed for the good old times, when they had lived happy and in peace and harmony with the Golden Kingdom. There were only few Omegas left in their own kingdom, too few to enable the survival of the kingdom actually.

No one knew if the Omegas of the Golden Kingdom had the same problems, but there were rumors that the Alphas that had lived there were held as slaves and prisoners so none of them would ever try to overpower the Omegas of the Golden Kingdom.

This was how life had become in the Alpha-ruled kingdom of the fierce black panther when two brothers went to change not only their fate, but the fate of every substitute living in the Black Kingdom as well. They were two young princes, one of them ascending the throne as the new Alpha king of his realm, while the other one served him faithfully as the military leader of his army.

The names of the new king and his general were Nuri and Robert.

 

***

 

“But you need a mate Nuri, you need a heir! There must be at least one Omega in our seraglio you could like!” General Robert paced up and down in the large throne hall of the royal castle. The tall Alpha with the dark curls, the handsome male features and the piercing blue eyes was the only one who was allowed to call the young king by his birth name without using his title, and he actually talked to his younger brother and not the king at the moment.

Some people might wonder why the younger brother had become the king and how it could be that the older brother was content with being his brother's general, but Robert had never wanted to wear the crown. Nuri and he loved each other deeply, and Robert's only concern had always been his brother's happiness and his safety. It had been like this from the reign of their great-great-grandfather on that the younger brother inherited the throne while the older brother served him as his protector and the general of his army. This new law had been a part of the truce negotiations with the Golden Kingdom, both realms searching for a way to avoid another bloody war in the future, and Robert had never questioned it and served his younger brother with devotion and faith.

King Nuri sat slumped in his throne chair, looking miserable and far too young to carry the heavy burden of responsibility on his shoulders. The ministers had left them alone a while ago, the young ruler had sent them away, allowing only his older brother to stay with him.

The Black Kingdom had a serious problem, it lacked enough Omegas for the large numbers of Alphas needing a mate. Countless Omegas had fled to the Golden Kingdom during the war, not wanting to be oppressed by the Alphas any longer, and the birthrate of Omegas had decreased to an alarming account over the last five decades. There was only one Omega among twenty newborns, the other children being either Alphas or Betas, and even though Alphas could take a Beta as their mate to satisfy their needs, but they couldn't have children with them, their bloodline dying out with the last Alpha left of the former proud family.

It was like a curse, as if some cruel God or Goddess or fate itself wanted to punish the kingdom of the black panther for the war one of their rulers had brought upon not only them but upon the kingdom of the golden lion too.

“I know, brother mine, and I really tried! You were the one traveling through our kingdom, visiting even the smallest village to bring every Omega living in our kingdom to me, and I am deeply grateful for what you did for me. But none of them was the right one. There is not one single Omega living in our country I could ever fall in love with, and I can't bind myself to a mate I cannot love!”

Nuri's hazel-gray eyes looked pleadingly at his brother, and General Robert sighed, his features softening as he smiled at his brother.

“I might have a solution for this problem, brother dear. Your happiness matters more to me than anything, and I know a sorceress we can ask for advice. She lives not far from here, but we have to wait until night has fallen over Panthera.”

The young king frowned. “A magician? I thought that all of them had died during the war. King Pepe enacted the law that every magician was to be killed because they didn't use their magic to help him conquer the Golden Kingdom!”

“Yes, I know, little one. But some of them survived, and one of them lives here in Panthera not far away from the castle. I never told you about her because I didn't want to put this burden on your shoulder as long as our father lived, but now is the right time for you to know about Mathilda. She is a wise woman and she will help us finding your mate. Come with me, I will hide you in my own private chambers until the sun has gone down. You have to keep this knowledge confidential though, brother dear, because there are still people living in Panthera who would kill her if they knew about Mathilda's magic.”

The king stood and followed his brother out of the throne hall, and when the night had fallen over the capital of the Black Kingdom, two dark figures hiding themselves under black capes left the proud castle through a small side door and disappeared in the shadows of the small streets where the ordinary people lived, as silent and invisible as only ghosts normally were.

 

***

 

The room of the small and unobtrusive house was illuminated only by two candles, black and dark-gray shadows dancing over the whitewashed walls in the rhythm of the flickering lights.

Robert suppressed a cold shiver running over his spine. He knew Mathilda from his teenage years on, and he knew that she would never do them any harm, but the mysterious atmosphere affected him as much as it affected his beloved younger brother. The small magician sat at her dark wooden table, looking into her shining crystal ball. Nuri sitting beside him at the table opposite the sorceress nervously shifted his weight, anxious about what the ageless Beta would tell him.

Only Betas could do magic after long years of learning and practice, and the few magicians who lived in the kingdoms of this world were not allowed to use their magic in any other way than for the sake and benefit of every substitute of the empires, no matter whether they were Alphas, Betas or Omegas. Two or three of them had once used black magic hundreds of years ago, but this had been long before the horrible war, and it had almost destroyed the entire planet with its power.

No magician had ever dared to use black magic afterwards again, and this was the reason why King Pepe had ordered to kill every magician living in his kingdom when they had refused to help him winning the war against the Omegas with their skills.

Robert squeezed his brother's hand in reassurance, and the young king sighed and relaxed a little bit.

“What do you see in your crystal ball, Mathilda?” he asked shyly, and the Beta raised her head and smiled at him. Her eyes were glowing in the light of the two candles and the blue shine of the orb, and Robert unconsciously held his breath when the magician started to speak.

“I can see your mate, young king. Your mate is a beautiful young Omega, sire, and you are meant to be together and heal the deep wounds that are still left after the war. But you will have to win his heart and his trust before you can be together, and you have to do that without using your power and your title but come to him as a simple man. Only your true and unquestioning love will make him fall in love with you as well, and you'll have to prove to him that you are worthy his love before he will become your willing mate. If you'll come to him as the black king of this land, there will be another war that will destroy not only this kingdom, but our whole world.”

Mathilda's gaze wandered to Robert sitting beside the young king. “We know each other for a long time, Robert, and you have always been your brother's faithful protector. Your brother will need you now more than ever, because there are hardships and obstacles coming along your way, and the road that will lead you to happier times will be long and winding one. The future mate of your brother has such a strong protector as you have always been your brother's guard and as you actually still are, and this protector stands between Nuri and his Omega mate. You will have to fight against him and if you'll be able to defeat him, than Nuri will win his Omega's heart.”

Robert swallowed and stared back at the magician. “Who is the Omega that will be my brother's mate? I traveled through the entire kingdom, and I brought every Omega to Panthera. They all live in my brother's harem, and I don't think that there is any Omega left I don't know.”

Mathilda smiled and let her hands glide over the beautiful blue orb. The shimmering glass became transparent, and Nuri and Robert gasped out at the same time when they looked at the scenery now visible in the depths of the magical orb.

Robert could see a large and splendid chamber that reminded him of his own quarters in the castle. But the furniture of his private rooms was made of dark wood and the tapestries covering the walls to keep the cold outside showed every shade of blue, while this chamber was furnished in shimmering gold, beige and red.

Two young men dressed in yellow, golden and light-red velvet sat side by side on a large and cozy canopy bed, one with light-brown hair and hazel-green eyes, the other one with red-blond hair and amber-golden eyes. The blond had wrapped his arm around the brunet's shoulder and talked to him, and Robert felt a strange flutter deep in his heart and his abdomen as he watched the blond smiling at the other one, who seemed to be a little bit younger than the fascinating blond Omega.

Nuri reaching out to touch the orb with his fingers as if he wanted to caress the beautiful brown-haired man pulled him out of his rapturous staring, and he raised his head to look at the magician watching them silently.

“This is the king's future mate Erik,” Mathilda said when she had Robert's attention, “and the blond Omega sitting beside him is his protector, his older brother Marco. He is the one you have to defeat, Robert, the one you have win as your Omega and mate. But be warned. Marco might be an Omega, but he is the golden lion, as powerful and strong as any Alpha is, and only love will make him submit to the black panther. You'll have to earn his respect, and don't you ever make the mistake of underestimating the Omegas of the Golden Kingdom. They are the rightful rulers of this kingdom, and they will fight against everyone who dares to challenge them.

Only love will unite your realms, and you'll have to win Erik's and Marco's love to safe the Black Kingdom, two brothers winning the hearts of the two other siblings. If you will achieve this goal, then the golden lions and the black panthers will be united forever, and the colors of their united kingdom will be black and golden, the most powerful kingdom this world has ever had and will ever have. But you'll have to be quick, because the young prince will leave his secluded shelter to ascend the throne as soon as the old king dies.”

Robert swallowed hard and looked back at the shining orb, staring at the beautiful young Omega with the shimmering blond hair. Nuri's longing gaze was still fixed on his younger brother Erik, and Robert knew without asking that Erik was the prince of the Golden Kingdom, the heir of the king. There had been rumors that the old king was sick and that his time on earth was limited. Robert's scouts had informed him that the young prince lived in seclusion in the old temple city Tristone where he was taught everything he needed to know as the future king of his realm.

It had been the same with his younger brother Nuri, he had lived in seclusion during his adolescence with only his Beta teachers and servants as his company except for Robert as his older brother who had refused to leave his side. Robert had also watched over the small harem of Omegas that had belonged to the royal household, but Nuri had refused to use one of them when he had gotten into his first rut, telling Robert and the old Beta housekeeper that he only wanted to mate with someone he truly loved.

The young king caressed the orb with his fingertips, looking pleadingly at his beloved brother. “Robert please, help me finding my mate,” he whispered, and Robert smiled at him and stroked his cheek.

“I will, brother dear, I promise you.”

 

***

 

“We were successful, General Robert.”

The guards pushed their prisoner into the large chamber, forcing him to kneel down before the dark-haired Alpha who stood in the middle of the room with slightly spread legs, his broadly built arms folded across his chest. The general still wore his light black armor, an hauberk made of shimmering small iron rings over black leather trousers and a leather doublet of the same color. A broad black leather belt adorned with silvery ornaments accentuated his slim waist, and the sheath of his sword hanging down from the belt at his right side was made of silver and black leather as well.

The Alpha was a beautiful and impressive sight, and no one knowing him would not have bent their heads before him, but the prisoner lifted his chin up with defiance, staring up at his captor with angrily glowing golden eyes. One of the guards standing behind the kneeling man tried to kick him, but Robert raised his hand.

“Leave him be!” His voice cut through the air, and the guard winced as if he had been hit by a whip.  
“Of course, General Robert, I'm sorry,” he mumbled, ducking his head between his shoulders.

Robert didn't even honor him with a second glance. The Alpha stepped forward, offering his hand to the man still kneeling on the hard stone. “There is no need to kneel before me, General Marco. We share the same rank, and I'd rather welcome you as my guest than as my prisoner.”

The blond snorted, ignoring Robert's stretched out hand. “So I am free to leave your hospitable home again?” he only sneered, and Robert sighed and shook his head. “I'm afraid that I cannot allow you this, General Marco. I will fulfill your every wish you might have – except the one to leave my home as long as I don't want you to leave. Your cooperation in this matter would make things much easier and grant you considerable comfort you'd lack in a prison cell.”

Marco pressed his lips to a thin line. “I'd rather stay in a stinking prison cell than to accept anything coming from your hand, General Robert!” he spat out scornfully. “Guests are free to go wherever they want to go and if you won't grant me the same right, than I am nothing more than your hostage. I will fight against you till my last breath, I swear to you!”

“I have no intention to harm you, Marco,” Robert said, shaking his head in disappointment. “I understand your wish to go back to your brother, but this is not possible at the moment. You'll better accept your current state as my welcomed guest and try to enjoy my hospitality, because I won't let you go anywhere, and fighting against me will only lead to hurt and grief.”

The blond Omega jumped to his feet and tried to attack the dark-haired Alpha, but the two guards grabbed his arms and turned them on his back, keeping Marco in place this way. “My brother! Where is Erik? What have you bastards done to my little brother?!” he screamed, his amber-green eyes spitting golden fire at his captor.

Robert smiled, but it was the dangerous smile of a predator, the smile of the black panther who had cornered his prey.

“I did nothing to your sweet brother, nor will I do anything to him as long as you will cooperate and not try to escape, General Marco. Your brother is safe and sound and in the best hands, and I'll grant you his safety in exchange for your willingness to stay here and be my dear guest. It's your choice, my friend. You can continue to fight against me, stay in a prison cell and fear for the prince's well-being, or you can agree to my conditions that will guarantee you more comfort and some concessions, information about your brother's health for example.”

Robert who had folded his arms before his chest again looked down at the blond Omega. “So tell me your decision, Marco. Do you prefer to accept my conditions and swear an oath to me that you won't try to escape, or do you actually prefer to go all the hard way and keep fighting against me, risking your brother's safety?”

The proud Omega swallowed, and Robert could see how his jaw worked. “I prefer your conditions,” Marco finally ground out, almost choking on his words. Robert nodded contentedly, offering his hand to Marco for a second time. The other general stared at it for a moment before he took it with obvious reluctance.

Robert smiled contentedly and pulled his new guest up to his feet. “Welcome in my home, General Marco. I am sure that we're going to be good friends.”

 

***

 

Robert remembered Mathilda's words about earning Marco's respect clearly, and he did his best to give the proud Omega the feeling that he was a welcomed and cherished guest and not a prisoner, even though technically, Marco of course was his hostage, his stay in Robert's castle lying at the border to the Golden Kingdom granting the Alpha that his plan would work out.

The blond military leader of the golden army cooperated only reluctant and unwilling at first, meeting Robert's attempts to make polite conversation with deadly silence and angrily glowing eyes. Marco only spoke when he asked about his younger brother's well-being or to counter Robert's questions about his wishes with one short sentence:

“I only want my freedom, my brother and my people need me.”

Robert always smiled at him then, nodding his head in a bow of respectful acknowledgment and regretful denial.

“I told you before that this is the only wish I cannot fulfill, General Marco. Your brother surely misses you, but you will be reunited with him as soon as possible, and I know that you taught and led your officers well – just like the great and skilled general you are. I am convinced that they will manage to go on without you for a couple of weeks.”

Marco always scowled at him then and went silent again, but after two or three weeks, his gaze became less and less heated whenever he looked at Robert, and sometimes, he even gave short answers or asked a few hesitant but curious questions himself.

“You promised me to show me that my brother is fine!” Marcus eventually demanded on one evening when his guards brought him to Robert's private quarters for dinner, his gaze defiant again, but his nostrils flaring when he took in his host's musky scent, the tempting scent of a strong and healthy Alpha.

The dark-haired general smiled at him. Robert had noticed the subtle changes in the blond Omega's behavior over the last days. Marco was still furious that Robert kept him as his hostage and away from his beloved baby brother, but he was also an Omega and reacted to the presence of a strong and powerful Alpha just like Robert had hoped he would do, being fascinated by the black panther against his will.

The black general had never met any other Omega like Marco, proud and strong and self-confident, his behavior reminding him of the behavior of a fierce Alpha. Robert was deeply fascinated, and he desired the handsome blond like he had never desired anything and anyone else. The king's older brother had had a few encounters with the Omegas of the royal harem, opposite to his beloved sibling Nuri, who had refused to ease the pain of his first rut with a willing Omega slave.

Robert would never forget Nuri's cries and whines of pain when he had lain curled up in his bed and his own helplessness when he had sat beside him and cooled Nuri's burning skin with wet towels. He had understood why Nuri had refused to sleep with someone he didn't have deeper feelings for, because he had felt dirty and unhappy himself after each meaningless encounter with one of the Omegas of their seraglio. The general nowadays preferred to avoid such situations, and he was grateful that he hadn't had another rut over the past two years.

The Alpha with the deep blue eyes and the elegant movements of a big black cat knew instinctively that it would be different with Marco, that his proud and brave hostage already meant more to him than any other living being except for his beloved brother Nuri, and his heart ached whenever he saw the desperate longing in Marco's beautiful and so expressive amber-golden eyes when he talked about his brother Erik.

“I will fulfill your wish if you will do something in return for me, Marco,” Robert now answered, craving to see the blond Omega smile at him at least once, and if it was only for a split second.

The younger man narrowed his eyes in obvious mistrust. “And what do you want from me?” he asked, and Robert suppressed a sigh. Marco's unwillingness was understandable, he would surely behave the same way if he was in the blond's position.

“I want you to stay for a game after dinner, Marco. I am tired of you hiding yourself in your chamber the entire time. I told you that I consider you my cherished guest despite the fact that I can't let you go, but you're demeanor makes it impossible for me to treat you like a guest.”

Robert didn't try to hide his pleading tone, if Marco felt better when he pleaded, then Robert would give him what he needed to feel better.

“I see.” Marco looked taken aback. “What kind of game?”

“Chess. I always played chess with my brother, King Nuri, but Nuri isn't here, and I miss our quiet evenings with the chess board between us.”

The blond Omega stared at Robert with an impassive face for a long moment. “Why should I possibly want to ease the pain you feel about your brother's absence, Robert? You are the one keeping me apart from mine after all!” Marco's voice sounded more curious and surprised than really angry, and Robert met his gaze openly.

“Because I understand your wish to have visible proof that Erik is well and healthy, Marco. I told you that I would fulfill this wish of yours in case that you agreed to my conditions. But you're locking yourself away each and every evening. I am tired of that.”

Marco's jaw worked. “How can I know that your words about my brother's well-being are true?”

Robert smiled at him, a smile that made his blue eyes sparkle. The blond Omega swallowed and tried to look unimpressed, but his changed scent gave him away. Marco desired Robert even though he didn't want to admit that, and the dark-haired Alpha felt new hope.

“Because you don't need to only trust my word. You will see for yourself that your brother is fine, Marco.”

 

***

 

From this day on, things were improving. Marco gave up his stubborn and defiant attempts to lock himself away in his quarters, starting to talk to Robert and slowly opening up to him. They dined together every day when Robert had seen to his duties as the military commander of the Black Kingdom and the king's counselor and deputy, spending the rest of the evening in each other's company with playing chess or sometimes with cards.

Robert invited his guest to go on riding with him, showing him the breathtaking landscape of the thickly wooded mountains and the red rocks of his home. The strong Alpha loved his home and always tried to spend as much time in his own castle as possible, Marco's captivity giving him the needed excuse to stay away from the capital. He knew the government affairs in the best hands of their first minister, a very skilled and wise Alpha who had already been their deceased father's right hand.

Jürgen was the only one knowing where the king and his brother had gone, and he sent messengers to Robert every week to inform him about politics and how things were going during Nuri's and his own absence. Robert knew about the rumors that the young king had left his country to search for a worthy mate, but he never answered to the questions people asked when they met him during one of his short trips to the neighbor villages and cities. Nuri was safe and sound where he was, and this was all that mattered to him.

Robert's only wish was to come back to Marco and learn more about the beautiful Omega who fascinated and impressed him so much, and he'd rather ride through the wind and the rain or all night long than to stay away from his castle longer than absolutely necessary.

They had started to talk about their countries and how life was like in the two kingdoms nowadays, and Robert had a much better understanding of what had happened during the war and afterwards than he had had before he had met Marco. The Omegas living in the Golden Kingdom suffered as much as the Alphas of the Black Kingdom did, because there were only few Alphas left in the royal harem, and it was hard to find an appropriate mate for the ruling families of the lion's country.

Erik had refused to even look at one of the poor slaves during his first heat, and Marco shuddered wit disgust when he admitted to Robert that his few encounters with Alphas hadn't been what he had dreamed of beforehand.

The dark-haired general found himself drawn in to his uncommon guest more and more with each day, and the joy and relief he could see on Marco's face whenever they visited Mathilda in her guest quarters in Robert's castle to take a look at Erik and what he was doing through the crystal ball touched the Alpha and made his bad conscience rise to the surface.

Marco hadn't made any attempt to escape his captor and after several weeks, Robert granted the blond Omega more freedom and let him walk through the castle without a bunch of guards following him.

Robert enjoyed their evenings when they played chess and talked about their lives and their brothers, but he dreaded the question Marco would ask him one day, and he wasn't prepared for it when it finally came, even though he had expected Marco to ask this question for a rather long time.

“Robert, where is your brother? Where is King Nuri?”

 

***

 

The chamber was dark except for a small candle attached to the wall next to the heavy wooden door, and the young Omega sitting on the bed refused to look at Robert when he appeared in the doorway, pausing on the threshold as if he was waiting for permission to enter the room fully.

“Marco?”

“Go away and leave me alone. I hate you!”

“I know, Marco. You have every right to hate me and feel betrayed, but please listen to me. I did what I did for the sake of both of our countries. I know that I should have told you earlier where Nuri is, but I also did it for your brother's happiness!” Robert's voice was calm, but there was a pleading and urgent undertone in it none of his subordinates would ever get to hear when he spoke with them.

“I don't care about your motives! How could you do this to me? How could you lie to me like this the entire time? I had started to trust you, Robert!” Marco finally turned his head to meet Robert's eyes, his gaze full of hurt and betrayal. “I should have known better than to ever trust you! You're just another Alpha thinking yourself so much worthier than the weak Omegas you keep as slaves in your seraglio or as prisoners in your damn castle!”

The blond's voice cracked at the end of the sentence, and the younger man averted his eyes again as if he couldn't stand Robert's sight any longer.

“I am so sorry, Marco. I never meant to hurt you like this.”

“And yet you did to carry out your filthy plans to assimilate my country. Go away! I never want to see you again!”

Robert felt horrible pain in his heart at Marco's implacable words, but he respected the golden lion too much to not respect his wish.

“If this is what you truly want, then I will leave you alone. I will send one of my Beta servants to you. They will fulfill your every wish except for your freedom.”

“Mathilda. I want Mathilda.” Marco's words were almost inaudible, but the proud Alpha had heard them nonetheless.

“I will send Mathilda to you,” he agreed, silently closing the door behind him again, his heart crying with despair and agony because he had lost his Omega – his mate. Marco might not have been his mate in real life, but he had been his mate deep in his heart, and Robert mourned his loss like he had never mourned anything.

 

***

 

“You must go to him, Robert. He needs you!” The small magician stood her ground, holding the angry Alpha's fierce glance without wavering. Mathilda had put her hands on her hips and regarded him condescendingly although she was much smaller than the tall and slim general and had to look up at the proud and dangerous black panther who hissed back at her with bared teeth.

“Marco doesn't need me! He made perfectly clear that he never wants to see me again,” Robert snarled, still hurt about Marco's hateful words he had thrown at him.

“I told you that you would have to earn his trust and his respect. You lied to him, what did you expect? But it's not too late to bring things back in order again, General Robert. The future of two kingdoms depends on you!”

“I'm only a simple man, Mathilda. I can't do anything,” Robert objected, pulling a snort from the ageless and wise Beta.

“You're much more than only a simple man, general and brother of the king! You're an Alpha, Robert! You're actually the most powerful and strongest Alpha who has ever walked this earth! Don't hide behind such lame excuses, I never thought that you could be such a coward! Marco needs you. He is your responsibility, your Omega, your future mate!”

“Marco doesn't want to be my Omega or my mate, he made that perfectly clear.” But Robert averted his eyes, and his voice creaked with uncertainty.

“He called for you in his feverish dreams. His heat hits him badly, Robert. It's his first heat within two years, and I am sure that it is caused by you. You're the only one who can help him!”

Robert flinched, turning his head so fast in Mathilda's direction that he became dizzy. “Marco went into heat?” he asked trembling, the powerful wave of longing and desire surging through him all of a sudden stealing his breath from his lips.

“Yes, he did.” Mathilda returned his gaze sternly.

“You could help him with your magic, sorceress!” the upset Alpha growled helplessly, his heart clenching with fear.

Mathilda shook her head. “No, Robert. The only magic that can help Marco is your love, my friend. Go to him and show him how much you love him. Love is the most powerful magic that exists in the entire universe. Only your love will heal the deep wounds the war has left between the Alphas and Omegas of our two kingdoms. Go to your Omega and heal him, Robert!”

And the proud Alpha bent his head before the small magician and went to the room of his Omega, praying that his love would be strong enough to do the magic Marco and both kingdoms needed.

 

***

 

The blond Omega writhed on his bed in feverish dreams, his lips bitten and swollen, his shimmering pale skin flushed with the deep redness of his forceful heat.

Robert knelt down before the bed, reaching out with his cool hand to stroke Marco's hot face, his heart clenching with self-loathing and regret. The Alpha knew that he would never ever love anybody else the way he loved Marco, but if his Omega would ask him for his freedom one last time, he would let him go because Robert loved him too much to keep him trapped any longer.

This was what true love was about, because true love cared more about the beloved one's happiness than about the happiness of oneself.

“Robert, is that you? My proud Alpha, my fierce black panther? You really came to me?” Marco's question was only a hoarse whisper, his throat sore from his groans and cries of pain.

“Yes, I came, my beautiful lion. I am here. I am so sorry for causing you so much pain!” Robert hated himself so much, he hadn't known that he could hate himself so much.

The Omega struggled into a sitting position, pulling Robert up from his kneeling position and onto the bed. “It doesn't matter any longer. You came to me, that's all that matters to me.”

Robert held him tight, overwhelmed by the Omega's wonderful sweet scent. A scent that was so much more than only the scent of an Omega in heat. This was not any Omega in heat, this was his Omega, his mate, and Marco needed him. The strong Alpha growled and snarled deep in his throat, drinking in the warmth and the wonderful scent of his beloved Omega, but there was a small voice in his head that kept him from just taking Marco and marking him as his.

“You said that you hated me, that you never wanted to see me again. I will send another Alpha to you, Marco. They will help you through your heat. I promise you that I will let you go afterwards, when you're feeling better again.”

Marco pushed him away to look at him with his amber-golden eyes, the whites deep red with his heat.

“You would do that? Send another Alpha to me and let me go?”

Robert simply nodded, unable to speak.

“But why would you do that? Don't you want me?” Marco looked hurt and confused, so young, and Robert stroked his face again.

“Of course, I want you. More than anything. But your wishes and your happiness mean more to me than my own wishes. I love you too much to keep you as my prisoner any longer. I was the one causing you so much pain, and I am not worthy to call myself your Alpha. I trapped you and I lied to you, and that I did it for our kingdoms can never be an excuse for my deeds. Just tell me what you want and need, and I will give it to you, Marco.”

“Even my freedom?”

Robert nodded again. “Even your freedom, Marco, without any more conditions.”

The blond Omega regarded him for a moment, and Robert returned his gaze and laid all the love he felt for him in his glance. When Marco didn't say anything for a rather long time, his heart sank and he stood up to leave the chamber. “I will send a young and kind Alpha to you, Marco You are free to go wherever you want to go afterwards.”

The tight grip around his wrist startled him, and he looked down at the naked Omega pulling him back onto the bed again with almost scared blue eyes.

“I don't want another Alpha, Robert, and I don't want to leave you either. All I want – all I ever wanted - is you.”

 

***

 

The proud Alpha lay naked on the mattress, looking up at his golden lion kneeling over him. The blond Omega was so beautiful like this, his shimmering creamy-white skin flushed pink with his arousal, the thick strands of his shining red-blond hair hopelessly tousled, and his lips swollen and red from their passionate kisses.

Marco's forceful heat had sent Robert into his first rut after more than two years, and their first two couplings had been desperate and rough, the dark-haired Alpha and the blond Omega rolling around on the sheets growling and snarling as each of the two fierce and proud soldiers tried to win the upper hand and make the other one submit to them.

The panther had finally given in and surrendered to his lion when their fight for dominance had become too dangerous, Robert's amazement about his ardent and proud Omega making him turn onto his back and let Marco have his way with him.

The strong Alpha had never met anyone like Marco before, neither any Omega or Beta, nor any other Alpha who could bear comparison with his wonderful mate. Marco was glorious in his heat, strong and powerful and too tempting to resist him. Robert had never doubted Marco's strength, even not at the beginning when he had known only little about him. His lion was every bit as strong and brave as any Alpha was, even stronger than most of the Alphas Robert knew, proud, faithful and unwavering in his loyalty, and Robert admired and adored his shining golden Omega with every fiber of his being.

His body ached with new arousal, and his heart threatened to burst with all the love and desire he felt for the hissing lion keeping him trapped on the mattress with his own weight and his hands. “You're mine, Alpha!” Marco growled, his gorgeous erection bouncing up and down between his legs as he bent forward to nib at Robert's throat with sharp teeth.

Robert's groin was coated with the evidence of Marco's desire for him, the slick between Marco's strong-muscled thighs straddling Robert's hips leaving wet traces on the Alpha's abdomen. “Yes, I'm yours, my golden lion, only yours!” he gasped out when Marco lowered himself down on his Alpha's throbbing cock again, impaling himself on Robert's thick manhood in a torturingly slow pace. “You're so beautiful like this, Marco, you don't know how much I want you!”

The blond Omega chuckled throatily, pleased that the powerful Alpha admitted his sweet defeat that willingly. “Tell me how much you want me, and I might be inclined to give you what you need!” he challenged the dark-haired Alpha, and Robert groaned and tried to arch his hips. “I need you, Marco, please, I need to be inside you!” the panther pleaded when Marco pulled away from his manhood until only the engorged head of Robert's cock was still buried inside him.

“That's a good start, Alpha, tell me more. Tell me that you want me to mark you, that you want me to claim you as mine for everyone to see!” the golden lion purred, moving up and down on Robert's aching cock. The Alpha had already had two powerful orgasms, but he felt as if he had been starved for years, for decades, his beautiful and shining, glorious Omega being the only one able to satisfy the need burning inside him a need that went so much deeper than only physical desire.

“I'm yours, my mate, I have been yours ever since I first looked at you in Mathilda's crystal ball. No one else will ever have me, and I want you to mark me as yours for eternity and for everyone to see!” Robert groaned, and Marco's eyes became dark with love and happiness.

“You shall be mine then, Robert. My Alpha and my mate forever!” The Omega claimed Robert's mouth in another deep and passionate kiss, their tongues dancing around one another while Marco moved faster and faster up and down on his Alpha's manhood, pulling moans and gasps of pleasure from both of them. Their fingers were entangled on the pillow at each side of Robert's head, and the proud Alpha surrendered happily to his wonderful mate and eagerly tilted his head to the side when Marco kissed his way along his jaw and down to his vulnerable throat.

Sharp and yet gentle teeth broke tender skin as the Omega bit down to take his Alpha as his mate, and the sensation of his lion sucking at his neck in time to the movements of his body sent Robert over the edge, the pleasure and ecstasy he felt as Marco claimed him as his too much to bear.

The dark-haired Alpha came hard deep inside Marco's body, his knot swelling until Robert thought he would black out with the force of his emotions. Marco's strangled cry was an echo of his own, his walls clenching around Robert's knot and milking every drop out of him, and his warm seed spilling onto Robert's abdomen.

The Alpha wrapped his arms tightly around his mate when Marco loosened his grip around his hands, and he gently turned around with the trembling Omega in his arms until Marco lay safely underneath him, safely nestled against his strong frame, their bodies still connected where Robert's knot kept them together.

“Mark me, Robert, claim me as your mate, I need to be yours!” Marco whispered brokenly when Robert kissed him on his lips, licking away the tiny red droplets that proved that Robert was taken as the beloved mate of the most impressive and powerful Omega walking this earth.

“You are my mate, love. You have been my mate deep in my heart from the moment on when I first saw you, and I will make sure that everyone will see that you belong to me and that I belong to you.” The panther bent his head to fulfill the promise he had given a long time ago, marking his golden lion as his visible to see for every Alpha, every Omega and every Beta living in every kingdom.

“We are equals, Marco, you and me, because I am nothing without you. Every Alpha needs an Omega to be fulfilled, and no Omega and no Alpha shall ever live the life of a slave again,” Robert said when he had left his mark on Marco's fragrant throat, caressing the beautiful face of his mate with his fingertips and tender lips. “Our kingdoms shall be united in peace and love like we are united now, the black panther and the golden lion walking side by side and protecting every living being in our country.”

The blond Omega smiled up at his Alpha, his eyes shining golden with the love he felt for him. “It shall be like you said, my mate. Do you think that my brother is as happy with yours as we are now?” Marco asked, and for a brief moment Robert thought that he could see Mathilda's shining orb showing his brother Nuri and Erik united in love like Marco and he were. It lasted only for the blink of an eye, but the dark-haired Alpha felt happy and content, and he kissed his Omega and whispered tenderly:

“I am sure that they are, love. As happy as we are. Tomorrow, we will visit them and see for ourselves that love is the greatest power and magic of all, healing even the deepest wounds and bringing new hope and life to all of us.”

Marco kissed him back and smiled at him. “I love you, Robert.”

“I love you too, Marco.”


	2. Harem Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik misses his brother Marco who left him alone rather unexpectedly. Will the young Alpha Marco seemingly sent to him to keep him company the one special Alpha Erik has waited for his whole life?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For pinkquill22 who asked for the second chapter.

„Where is my brother Marco?“ the young prince demanded when the two blond guards entered his private living room to bow before their future king. Erik looked at them with narrowed eyes and concern written all over his face, not bothering to gift the young man they had dragged along between them with more than a brief glance.

„The general had to leave Tristone due to some important matters, your highness,“ the guard grabbing the left arm of the dark-haired stranger explained. „General Marco was called to the borders of your kingdom, prince Erik, and he will be away for several weeks, having to secure the borders and see to our army being ready in case of a possible attack.“

The tall and handsome Omega with the light-brown hair frowned in dismay. „But my brother would never leave me without saying goodbye! What happened that he left me without any other word?“ Erik whined, wringing his hands, “Marco would never do that! I have to leave Tristone and go after him, I'm sure that he'll need me!”

The guard holding the right arm of the unknown young man shook his head. “We're sorry, your highness, but your brother gave us the strict order to not allow you that. The general cares deeply for your well-being, and he needs you to stay here in Tristone where you will be safe because no one will dare to attack the old temple city without risking to bring harm over their own people. No sorcerer and no Alpha of the Black Kingdom will even try to come here and risk to arouse the wrath of every kingdom existing in this world by attacking Tristone. General Marco sends you his love and his greetings, and he sent this young Alpha to you to keep you company as long as he can't do that himself because of his duties.”

The blond Omega pushed against the back of the young man, shoving him forward rather rudely, and the Alpha with the thick, black hair stumbled forward and fell down on his knees with his head lowered down to the ground.

“Don't be so rude to him!” Erik stepped forward to crouch before the slumped figure, forgetting his confusion about his brother's mysterious disappearance when he heard the small, pained groan the Alpha let out when his knees hit the hard marble tiles. “If it was really my brother sending this Alpha to me, then he surely didn't want him to be treated this way!”

“We're sorry, your highness. It won't happen again,” the other guard mumbled, but Erik only growled impatiently. “You're dismissed, I want to be alone with him.”

“But your highness! Do you really think it wise to be alone with an unknown Alpha? He might attack you!”

The young prince raised his head to scowl at the guards. “But why would he do that? My brother would never allow anybody to come near me who could be a threat! Besides, can't you see how scared he is? There is even a bruise on his cheek where one of you must have hit him! If I will ever see you mistreating one of the Alphas living under my roof again, I shall have you beaten as well! Out now, and send Helena and Jenny to me!”

Erik might be young and kneeling on the marble-tiled floor, having to look up at the two blond Omegas this way, but he was the worthy heir of his father, and his natural authority made the guards swallow audibly, bow deeply before their prince and leave the chamber without further objection.

“Of course, your highness, as you wish, your highness.”

Erik growled again and waited until they had left before gently lifting the young Alpha's chin up to look him in the eyes. “I'm sorry for the way you have been treated, my friend. It won't happen again, you have my word on that. What's your name, and was it really my brother sending you to me?”

The young Alpha looked up at him, and Erik felt a strange tingling in his stomach and his groin when he met his eyes for the first time, beautiful hazel-gray eyes, surprisingly fair for someone with such black hair. The beautiful eyes belonged to a handsome, youthful face, and the tingling in Erik's belly became stronger when his unexpected guest smiled shyly at him.

“Nuri, your highness, my name is Nuri. I was sent here to keep you company as long as your brother can't do that himself.”

 

***

 

“Jenny dear, please bring Nuri to our guest quarters. I am sure that he will feel more comfortable after some hours of rest. I want you to help him settle in, see to him getting a bath and fresh clothes. My brother sent him to me, and Nuri is my guest and not to be treated as a slave,” Erik said when the two female Betas knocked on the door.

The younger Beta smiled at him. “As you wish, my prince.” She waved at the dark-haired Alpha, but Nuri surprised Erik by staying where he was, kneeling on the floor and gazing pleadingly at him.

“If I may utter a humble wish, your highness?”

“Of course, Nuri.” Erik nodded, curious what Nuri wanted from him. He had never met any other Alpha like this one, daring to meet his eyes openly and yet without the typical arrogance the few Alpha slaves considering themselves stronger and worthier than Omegas had looked at him. On the contrary, Nuri's glance was full of admiration and fascination, but without any sign of servility or deviousness.

“I feel honored that you want me to stay in your guest quarters, but I'd prefer to stay in your seraglio with the other Alphas. I'm not different from them or anyone special, and my place is among them.”

The young prince stared at the kneeling Alpha, taken aback by Nuri's request. “You really want to stay in my harem, Nuri?” he finally stammered, and a strange emotion flickered over the handsome features of the young man who didn't behave like all of the other Alphas Erik had met so far.

Which hadn't been that many, because Erik loathed the thought of any sentient and intelligent living creature being held as a slave or a prisoner, no matter whether they were animals or humans, Alphas, Betas or Omegas. Jenny and Helena were more his friends than his servants, and they served him because they wanted to and not because he had ordered them to do so. Helena was actually not his servant but more Marco's and his counselor, one of the few magicians who had learned to use magic from one of the few sorcerers who had survived the terrible war two hundred years ago.

“Is your seraglio such a bad place that you don't want me to stay there among my own kind, your highness?” the Alpha's calm question pulled Erik out of his musings, but Jenny answered before he could do that himself.

“Of course not, you stupid man!” she groused, angry at her friend's behalf. “Prince Erik is kind and he treats his Alphas well, even those who don't deserve it!” Nuri didn't back away from her although she scowled at him, only grazed Erik with a brief somehow appraising glance. It was only for the blink of an eye, and Erik wasn't sure whether or not his eyes had played tricks on him, and he felt himself blushing at Jenny's praise.

“Thank you, Jenny dear, but my new guest can't know that. If that's what you really want, then you will stay in the seraglio, Nuri. You must be someone special though, because my brother wouldn't have sent you to me if you weren't, and I want learn more about you when you have gotten some rest. Jenny will bring you to me for dinner in a couple of hours.”

Erik offered his hand to the young man, hoping that Nuri would take it and be willing to trust him at least a little bit. As strange as it was, but the young Omega felt consoled and reassured in Nuri's presence, his worries about his beloved brother's absence calmed and almost forgotten. Marco had found this young Alpha special enough to distract him from his troubles and concerns about Marco's well-being as long as he had to see to his duties, and if Marco trusted Nuri enough to let him anywhere near his beloved baby brother, then Erik was willing to trust him as well.

The dark-haired Alpha took his hand without hesitation, his warm fingers enclosing Erik's almost tenderly as he elegantly rose to his feet in one single fluent move, never breaking eye-contact as he did so. “Thank you, my prince, it will be my greatest honor to dine with you,” he said in his warm voice, rich with unspoken emotions. He bowed before the handsome Omega with the shimmering hair of the golden color of amber and cognac, and Erik watched him leave the room behind Jenny with something akin to regret, the hours until he would see Nuri again far too long for his liking.

“Helena, my wise friend, I need your advice,” Erik said when the door closed behind Jenny and Nuri, and the sorceress smiled at him. “You want to know where your brother is, your highness, don't you?” she asked, and the young prince returned her smile and gestured at the shimmering orb the magician held in her hands.

“Show me what I need to know, Helena!” he begged the sorceress, and the Beta raised the magical orb and said: “Come to me, my prince and look into my crystal ball. There you will find what you want to see, but please, do always remember my words, heir of the Golden Kingdom: as long as your brother will be in your heart, you will never really be apart.”

 

***

 

The days and weeks went by and soon enough, Erik couldn't imagine his life without the handsome young Alpha in it any longer. Nuri brightened his days and chased the dark shadows of the evenings and long nights away like only Marco had been able to do before.

The Omega prince of course missed his beloved older brother deeply, and he asked Helena to let him look into her crystal ball every day, but as long as Nuri kept him company, his longing for Marco was bearable.

Erik had never really approved the seraglio he was supposed to have as the king's heir, and he had always stayed away from the wing of the castle where the Alphas slaves lived in seclusion, watched by heavily armed guards and only a few Beta servants, but this changed after Nuri's settling in in his household, and the young prince started to visit his harem every afternoon soon after Nuri's arrival.

The guards and servants were shocked about this unruly behavior at first, trying to keep their prince away from the chambers where the Alpha slaves spent their days in boredom, misery and the hope that they would catch the eye of one of the guards if not of the young prince himself to be taken as the mate of a strong Omega one day.

Erik hadn't known how boring and sad the Alphas in his castle lived, and he felt deeply ashamed about it and set up a new, much nicer routine for them by spending one or two hours with each Alpha living in his harem, visiting all of them on a daily basis now, one after the other. Sometimes, he played a game with the Alpha he visited, sometimes, he let them read a book to him or invited them for a stroll in the wonderful garden of the castle, and the joy and the gratitude he could see in their eyes touched him and made him feel humble and blessed.

He never visited Nuri in the harem though, because the young prince didn't want to see his new friend among the slaves. The dark-haired Alpha with the beautiful hazel-gray eyes was too special to him, and Erik called for him every evening to have dinner with him and play chess afterwards, the game he had loved to play with his dear brother Marco. Nuri was the only one who could make him forget his worries about Marco's well-being and his yearning for his brother for at least a while, and he spent more and more time with him, not even wanting to let him go when it was time for bed.

“You could stay with me, Nuri!” Erik said every night when the dark-haired Alpha bowed before him, but the beautiful young man always shook his head.

“No, my prince, my place is among the Alphas in your harem. I wish you good night and pleasant dreams.”

Erik didn't understand why Nuri insisted on sleeping in his small chamber in the seraglio, but the Omega respected the fascinating Alpha too much to deny him his wish. Nuri might officially be his slave, but for Erik, they were equals and friends, and he couldn't bring himself to order Nuri to stay the night with him.

Sometimes, when his duties and studies as the royal heir allowed him to do so, he sent for 'his' Alpha as he had started to think of Nuri to have lunch with him and take a walk in the garden or a ride through the streets of Tristone, but Nuri always walked or rode behind him, just like it was appropriate for an Alpha slave in the Golden Kingdom.

“Why don't you walk beside me, Nuri?” Erik always asked, and the dark-haired Alpha smiled sweetly at him and said: “Because you the king's heir, the shining, golden Omega prince of this kingdom, while I am your devoted Alpha, my prince,” and Erik sighed in annoyance and regret, promising himself that he would change the laws when he would be king, giving every Alpha living in his kingdom their freedom back.

One day he told Nuri about it, and the young man with the beautiful hazel-gray eyes looked intently at him and said: “Every Alpha will forever be indebted to you, my prince. Your wisdom and your kindness shine even more than your beauty, and the Alpha you will choose to be your mate one day will be the luckiest Alpha walking this earth. But I fear that your brother and your ministers won't allow that.”

Erik stopped in his walking and reached out to stroke Nuri's cheek. “My brother loves me dearly, and all he wants is to see me happy, Nuri. He will support me and help me to change our rules and laws for the better, so every substitute of my kingdom can live their lives in freedom and happiness, I know that for sure.”

The young Alpha bowed his head. “You trust your brother and I trust you, my prince,” was all he said, and it made Erik smile and his heart sing with happiness. One day, Nuri would be free and not a slave any longer and perhaps, he would be willing to walk beside Erik as his mate then, the young Omega prince only had to believe in it and pray for this to happen.

 

***

 

“What's wrong with him?” Erik asked concerned, bending over the Alpha writhing on his bed. The guards had tried to keep him from entering the young slave's room, but Erik had shoved them away, having come to care about each of the slaves living in his harem over the past weeks. If there was something wrong with one of them, Erik wanted to know about it and try to help them. Julian was one of the youngest Alphas, and Erik had always enjoyed teaching him chess and listening to his voice when Julian had read to him, and he wouldn't let the guards keep him away from his charges.

Nuri and Jenny sitting beside the slave looked up at the handsome Omega. “Julian has gone into his first rut, my prince,” Nuri said, “he's in great pain, and he needs help.” The older Alpha gently wiped Julian's face with a cool and wet cloth, trying to ease the poor Alpha's pain.

“Does this happen often to Alphas?” Erik asked confused, and Nuri's face darkened with what probably were some dark memories. “As often as Omegas go into heat, my prince. It's his first one, the first ruts are always very strong. It probably started yesterday, but he tried to hide it, and this made it worse than it already was.”

“What can I do to help him?” the young prince asked, and Nuri hesitated, exchanging a quick glance with the Beta. “He needs an Omega to help him through his rut, Julian might die otherwise. It would be the greatest honor imaginable if you would gift him with your attention, your highness,” the older Alpha finally said, his voice flat and strangled for the first time ever since Nuri had been shoved into his living room.

Erik sat down on the bed and stroked over Julian's flushed cheek. The slave gazed at him with red eyes, wincing at the touch of the bed sheets burning on his flushed and oversensitive skin. “I'm sorry, Julian, but I promised to myself that I would never take an Alpha in my bed I don't really love. But I can't stand seeing you in so much pain, and I will choose the Omega helping you through your rut personally. He will be kind and someone truly caring for you. Someone who will not treat you like a slave.”

Julian turned his head to kiss the hand of his prince, his eyes filled with so much gratitude and devotion that Erik felt a huge lump in his throat. “Thank you, your highness,” the weak Alpha whispered, and Erik swallowed and rose to his feet.

“You don't have to thank me, Julian. If anything, then I am the one having to thank you because you opened my eyes for the things I didn't know so far – for the things I didn't want to see and to acknowledge. I shall hurry now, and I will choose your Omega carefully, I promise you.”

And the Omega who was the heir of a king bowed before the young Alpha slave writhing on the bed before he went to fulfill his promise and search for the kindest Omega he could find in the old temple city of Tristone.

 

***

 

“I'm sorry, your highness, but Nuri asked me to excuse him tonight.” Jenny stood her ground, gazing up at the Omega with the light-brown hair and the beautiful male features. “He sends his sincerest apologies, but he can't dine with you, neither tonight, nor within the next couple of days. He prefers to stay in his chamber.”

Erik stared at the Beta with wide eyes, his heart clenching at the rejection. Nuri had been quiet and thoughtful over the last days, and he had refused to tell his prince what troubled him and only smiled and said that everything was fine.

“What is wrong with him. Did I make Nuri angry with my choice of the Omega for Julian? Joshua treats him well, I know that!”

Jenny looked sad, but she only shook her head. “No, this is not the reason, your highness, and you're right, you couldn't have found a better mate for Julian, Joshua is kind and caring, and he clearly loves his Alpha. All I can tell you is that Nuri doesn't want to see you, my prince. It might be better for both of you if you would just respect his wish.”

Erik's jaw worked, and he lifted his chin up with pride and anger. “This is something I can't do, Jenny dear. I need to know why he refuses to see me, and if he won't come to me, then I will go to him.”

Jenny opened her mouth to protest, but when she saw the look in Erik's eyes, she only sighed and bowed her head. “As you wish, my prince.”

 

***

 

“Why did you refuse to dine with me tonight, Nuri?”

Erik stormed into the Alpha's small chamber in his seraglio, angry and confused about Nuri's unexpected rejection.

The young man with the dark curls sat on his bed with his back to the door, flinching at the sound of Erik's hurt voice.

“You shouldn't have come here, Erik, you really shouldn't have.”

The Omega came to an abrupt halt before the bed, cautiously touching Nuri's shoulder, but the older Alpha moved away from his touch as if he had been burnt.

Erik swallowed, his hand dropping down at his side again. “Did I hurt you, Nuri? Did I say or do something you didn't like? Whatever it was, I am deeply sorry for it, and I'm asking you to give me the chance and make up with you for it.”

“No, your highness, you didn't do anything wrong. But you must leave me now before it will be too late.”

“Too late for what, Nuri? Will you please turn around and look at me?”

“I can't, my prince, please I can't!” There was a begging tone in the Alpha's voice, an urge Erik had never heard before, and when he drew in a deep and shaky breath, Nuri's heavy scent filled his nose, musky and more tempting than anything Erik had ever smelled, the prince asking himself how he could have missed this sign when he had entered the room. Erik didn't have much experience when it came to Alphas and their needs, but he had smelled something similar a few days ago when he had visited Julian in his small chamber in the seraglio.

The young Omega prince stared at the trembling back under the silky tunic, and the strong desire washing over him for the first time in his life took his breath away.

“Nuri, what happened? What's wrong with you?” Erik begged, and the dark-haired Alpha finally turned his head and looked at him with deep red glowing eyes.

“I went into a rut, your highness, and you're not safe with me any longer. Erik, my beloved prince, please, you must go!”

 

***

 

Erik found himself staring at his beloved friend, at the young Alpha he had come to care about so much within such a short amount of time, and he instinctively stepped closer, reaching out for Nuri again.

“You went into rut, Nuri? But how and why?” he stammered, not knowing what to do. The dark-haired slave dropped his gaze, biting down on his lip until a small red droplet appeared. “I don't know, my prince. Maybe Julian's rut triggered mine, I can't tell. All I know is that you have to leave me, because I'm a threat for you in this state, and I can't stand the thought of hurting you!” Nuri turned away from him once more, his shoulders tensed and his hands balled to tight fists in his lap.

The young prince swallowed, feeling rejected even though he didn't know why he should feel this way. “You don't want me to help you through your rut?” he whispered, his voice trembling because of the pain he felt deep in his heart by the thought of Nuri not wanting him.

“I would never ask that from you, your highness. You deserve so much better than that! Besides, you're a prince, the future king of the Golden Kingdom, a proud and strong lion, and I am only one of the Alpha slaves belonging to your harem. I will go through this alone.”

Erik growled deep in his throat at that, a new wave of desire and possessiveness coursing through him. “You're much more to me than only one of the Alphas of my harem! You are my Alpha, the one I want to have by my side as my mate, and I won't allow any other Omega of my kingdom to come near you! You're mine, and I won't go anywhere!”

“But you must go, before it'll be too late! Please, my prince, I'm begging you!”

Erik stared down at the Alpha's trembling back, inhaling deeply the strong scent of his rut coming off in waves from him.

“Look at me, Nuri! Look me in the eyes, Alpha and tell me that you don't want to be my mate! Tell me that you want another Omega, and I will leave you alone. But you have to tell it to my face, so turn around and face me, Alpha!”

The young man slowly turned his head, looking up at his golden prince with pleading eyes. “You know that I can't do that, my prince. You're the only one I'll ever want, the only Omega I ever wanted. I could never be with any other Omega than you, Erik. I loved you right from first sight on, and I will always love you.”

A happy smile spread out on Erik's features, and the heir of the Golden Kingdom reached out with his hand again to offer it to his beautiful Alpha. This time, Nuri took it, and Erik's smile widened, a smile full of love and joy.

“I have never been with an Alpha before, and if you really love me and want me to be your mate, then I will be your Omega, my beloved Nuri. I will be your Omega and you will be my Alpha, and nothing and no one shall ever come between us again.”

 

***

 

They had slowly undressed each other, taking their time even though his beautiful Alpha was burning with desperate need. Erik had wanted to just rip their clothes off, but Nuri had insisted on doing it the right way.

“If you're willing to be my Omega, my beloved mate, then I want to do this right, my prince. I want to cherish you and show you how much I love you! I want to make your first time special and wonderful, the most perfect first time ever,” the amazing being trembling in his arms had whispered after their first sweet kiss, a kiss that promised a night full of love, pleasure and happiness, a kiss that had been deep and passionate and yet more tender than Erik could ever have dreamed off.

The young Omega had remained still and quiet while Nuri had removed his light-red velvet doublet, the ebony-white silken tunic and the golden-beige leather breeches with greatest care, kissing and stroking every single inch of shimmering skin he had revealed, the dark-haired Alpha ignoring the pain of his rut burning in every cell of his body for his beloved Omega's sake.

Erik had done the same, carefully undressing the clothes every Alpha of his seraglio normally wore, a deep-blue tunic made of shimmering silk, a black waistcoat and loosely falling black trousers, Nuri's clothing much simpler than Erik's but made of soft and exquisite materials and other colors than the usual red and gold.

“My Alpha, my Nuri, my beautiful mate!” Erik whispered urgently against the flushed skin of his Alpha as he dabbed heated kisses all over his face and his broad shoulders, and his beloved one growling ardently at his rapturous ministration made him shiver with delight. Nuri pulled him close, capturing his lips in another searing kiss, and Erik moaned passionately, wrapping his arms tightly around the man he loved so much.

“You're mine, Erik, you're all mine!” The older one snarled, claiming and exploring Erik's mouth until his mind was spinning and the trembling Omega could feel his thighs become wet with his arousal. Erik had never felt the way he felt now, burning with love, desire and passion, his world shrinking to the narrow bed and the small chamber in his seraglio. He might be a strong and powerful prince, the heir of a great kingdom, but he only felt like an Omega deeply in love with his Alpha, craving to surrender to his mate and belong to him completely.

“Yes, I'm yours, only yours, my strong Alpha! Please, take me!”

“I will take you, my sweet Omega, I will make you mine forever,” Nuri promised hoarsely, gently lowering Erik down until he lay on his back, the cool sheets soft against his heated flesh. Erik had experienced only one heat so far, but his body was burning with the raw need to be taken by his Alpha as it had been burning during his first heat, and the young Omega arched his back and moaned loudly, reaching out for Nuri to pull him over his lithe frame and offer himself to him.

Nuri looked down at him with red glowing eyes, but his smile was sweet and tender. “I will take you, my beloved prince, I will give you what you need,” he promised, and when he kissed Erik again, Erik kissed him back with longing and happiness, reassured that his Alpha would take care of him and his needs.

“I love you, my sweet Erik, I love you so!” The dark-haired Alpha kissed his way down on Erik's writhing body, licking up the salty drops of sweat from his hot skin, biting, teasing and kissing Erik's sensitive nipples until his Omega moaned and gasped for him, tender hands roaming over Erik's arms, his flanks and his elegant legs.

Nuri's lips and tongue left wet traces along Erik's quivering abdomen, lavishing attention on his navel before traveling further down, and the young prince cried out with sheer need when the aroused Alpha nuzzled his groin to inhale deeply the tempting sweet scent of an Omega in heat.

A heat that was caused by the love and desire his Omega felt for him, and Nuri let out another low and possessive growl, a sound that went straight into the prince's groin and left him even harder than he had already been before. “You're my Omega, my beloved Erik, I won't allow any other Alpha to come near you! You're mine and I will love and treasure you until I'll die,” The older one snarled ardently as he bared his teeth and looked up at him, and Erik felt pride and joy about his words, words that proved to him that he belonged to his Alpha and his Alpha belonged to him just like it should be.

It had been like this from the beginning, and it would stay like this to the end, Alphas and Omegas united in love and an inseparable mating bond, and Erik realized in this moment that it was upon him to change the future of his kingdom for the better, that it was his destination to free all of the Alphas living in the Golden Kingdom from their slavery, so they would finally be free and able to find their Omega mates and live together with them, united in love and happiness.

“I love you too, my mate, I have waited for you my whole life!”

The Alpha rewarded him with a kiss on his aching arousal before Nuri raised his hips to lick up the slick from his thighs and starting to gently open him up with his ardent tongue. “I have waited for you my whole life too, Erik. Let me love you, my prince, let me pleasure you and make you happy!” his mate whispered, and Erik felt like melting when the tender conqueror gently pushed in, the fire of his heat letting stars of desire explode before his eyes.

No one had ever touched him there, but Erik trusted his beautiful Alpha with his heart, knowing that Nuri would never hurt him, and it didn't take long until he writhed and shivered heavily underneath him with the overwhelming need to be taken.

“Nuri, I need you! Make me yours, claim me, mark me!”

The Alpha hissed contentedly, licking one last time over Erik's now very wide and very wet entrance before covering his Omega with his strong body. The young prince wrapped his arms and his legs around his mate to pull him close and kiss him when Nuri slowly pushed into him with one fluent and deep thrust.

“I love you, Nuri!” Happiness and desire made Erik's voice raw, and the dark-haired Alpha with the handsome male features kissed him with all the passion he felt for his Omega as he possessed him, pulling out and pushing into him again in a steady rhythm that made the golden prince shiver and gasp beneath him with lust and pleasure.

“I love you, my sweet Erik, more than anything.”

Being so close to the one Erik's world circled around was overwhelming. Nuri's lips never left his tingling mouth, and his hips moved in a tantalizingly slow rhythm that made the desperate Omega tremble with need and impatience. The growling Alpha brushed over a small spot deep inside him that sent electric jolts of hot pleasure through Erik's entire body every time Nuri hit this sensitive bundle of nerves with the tip of his rock-hard manhood, and the prince cried out with desire, his nails scratching over Nuri's back and his shoulders. His own member rubbed against Nuri's strong-muscled abs with every move, and the evidence of his arousal and his desire rolled down on the inner sides of his thighs he had wrapped around his Alpha's slim waist.

Erik had never felt more like an Omega, never felt more desired, wanted, cherished and loved, the love of his brother totally different from the love Nuri as his Alpha showered him with.

“Mark me, claim me, make me yours!” he begged when the tension in his body became unbearable, and the dark-haired Alpha hissed and pulled away from his swollen lips to sink his teeth into his vulnerable throat just where Erik's pulse was racing. The sensation of hot lips sucking at his neck and Nuri increasing the speed and force of his thrusts pushed the young Omega over the edge and Erik came with a loud shout, his walls clenching around Nuri's twitching cock and his member exploding between their bodies. His vision went white with the intensity of his orgasm, and he cried out again when the Alpha followed him into the abyss of sweet oblivion, his proud knot swelling deep inside the shivering body of his beloved Omega.

Time stood still for an eternity as the golden prince and his beloved Alpha completed their unbreakable bond, and when it was over and Erik pulled away from Nuri's now deep-red neck where he had left his claim upon his mate just like his Alpha had done it before, they smiled at each other and celebrated their love with another deep and tender kiss.

 

***

 

“You're my golden lion, my beloved mate, my everything,” Nuri whispered tenderly when they lay side by side later that magical night, sated and happy, the small chamber in the seraglio having become their shelter that protected them from the world outside. Erik smiled at his Alpha and stroked his cheek, Nuri's strong body nestled against his own warming him like a cozy blanket.

“And you are my beautiful black panther, my proud Alpha. Your hair and your eyes, your movements, everything reminds me of a black panther, the only big cat worthy enough to walk beside the golden lion.”

Nuri stilled, gazing at his prince, and Erik could see uncertainty and fear in his hazel-gray eyes. “You think that I am a panther, my prince?”

Erik nodded. “Yes, I do, Nuri. You never told me where you came from, and I never asked you, but I do believe that your home has once been the Black Kingdom of the panther. No other Alpha in my homeland is as dark as you actually are.”

The dark-haired Alpha took Erik's hand to press it against his lips and kiss his knuckles. “You're right, Erik, my home has once been the Black Kingdom, and I left my home and came here, because I'd rather live as a slave in your harem than having to live in my own kingdom in freedom but alone and unhappy, doomed to stay lonely and without my beloved mate for the rest of my life.  
I am Nuri, the king of the Black Kingdom, and I offer my hand and my heart to you because I can't live without you any longer, Erik. So please tell me, my beloved prince, will you accept both – my hand and my heart - and live together with me, our kingdoms united in love and peace like we are?”

 

***

 

“You lied to me! Your crystal ball betrayed me! You let me see things that weren't true!”

Erik paced up and down in his private living room, shooting reproachful glances at the tall magician with the understanding eyes and the kind smile. Nuri stood beside Helena, his own eyes filled with regret about the pain his beloved prince felt, but his posture was proud and his face didn't show any sign of a bad conscience that he had betrayed Erik like the young prince thought that his confident had betrayed him.

Helena shook her head. “I didn't lie to you, your highness. I told you that my crystal ball would show you what you wanted to see, and it did. You didn't want to see the truth even though you know it deep in your heart for a rather long time. My orb couldn't show you what you didn't want to see, my prince. Deep in your heart you knew that your brother needed to leave you to find his own mate and his happiness and to make it possible for you to find your mate and the Alpha who loves you more than anything. But you weren't ready for this knowledge and your own mind let you see pictures you wanted to be true. Do you remember my words, your highness? I told you that Marco would always be with you as long as he would be in your heart. You were never truly separated because of your deep, brotherly love for each other, and I always knew that your and your brother's fate would be to become the beloved mates of the two black panthers, they only two brothers capable of taming the two golden lions with their love. Are you ready now to see the truth, my prince?”

Erik swallowed and stopped in his pacing, looking at Nuri who smiled at him and gently took his hand. “Let us do it together, my mate. Let us take a look into Helena's orb and see that Marco and my beloved brother Robert are as happy as we are.”

The young Omega hesitated but then stepped beside his mate and nodded. “Yes, Helena, show us Marco and Robert,” he asked her, and the magician smiled warmly at her prince and his mate, raising her orb to their faces.

The shimmering ball started to glow and when Erik looked into it together with Nuri, he could see his beloved brother Marco riding beside a dark-haired and handsome young man. Robert looked at his mate with deep blue eyes shining with all the love he felt for his Omega, and Erik could feel Nuri looking at him with the same deep love.

“See, our brothers have found their own happiness, and they are on their way to Tristone. Together, we will unite our kingdoms and every Alpha and every Omega will live in freedom from now on. There shall be only love and peace between us in the future, and the Golden and the Black Kingdom shall become one kingdom that will be ruled by true mates, an Omega and an Alpha united in an unbreakable bond that is formed by love and trust.”

Erik squeezed Nuri's fingers and kissed his mate. “It shall be as you said, my beloved mate. Our kingdoms shall be united and there won't be any Alpha or Omega having to endure slavery from now on. Let us saddle our own horses and meet our brothers at the border to celebrate with them!”

The king of the Black Kingdom bowed his head before the prince of the Golden Kingdom and they left the walls of the castle side by side to celebrate this day together with their beloved brothers, the golden lions and the black panthers united in love and happiness for the rest of their lives like their two kingdoms and every substitute living under the golden-black flag now and in the future, no matter whether they were Alphas, Omegas or Betas.

 

***

 

“Twins, our beloved King Erik was delivered of twins! They have two sons, one with blond curls, and one with light-brown hair!” Jenny rushed into the splendid room where Marco sat in a comfortable armchair with his newborn son Roman in his arm, looking up from the tiny being with the dark curls when the young Beta stormed through the door with shouts of joy. Robert standing beside his chair with their blond daughter Emily in his arms smiled down at his beloved Omega.

“I told you that Nuri and Erik would have twins like us,” he said, his voice warm and full of love. Marco looked up at him, his eyes sparkling as he smiled back at his Alpha, the proud black panther who had won his heart and who was the father of their wonderful babies. “Yes, you did, my mate. You were sure that our brothers would be blessed like we are, and you were right with that. It is a true miracle, but like Mathilda said: the magic of love is the greatest power in this world, and our love will never die.”

Robert bent down to kiss Marco on his temple, their daughter wrapped safely in his arms like their son was safely nestled against Marco's chest.

“I love you, Marco, now and forever.”

“I love you, Robert, now and for the eternity.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reactions to this and all of my other works - especially the last ones and my current WIPs - will be crucial for my stay in this fandom. It depends on you as my readers whether or not the WIPs you might be interested in will be finished and if there will be any more oneshots and other works from me you can read and enjoy. If you want me to continue with some of my WIPs, then tell me and leave kudos and comment on them. If there will be only silence and indifference coming from you again like so many, many times before, you giving me the feeling that I and my writing are not worthy to be supported in any way with your silence, then I will delete my account without any other note within the next few weeks.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write some dark Leweus with more sex at first, but Robert didn't let me. He wanted something with a happy end and a real story instead of only sex. (I know that the sex part is too small for a proper A/B/O-story, so most of you are probably pretty disappointed after reading this).

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The White Kingdom](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10562319) by [eafay70](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eafay70/pseuds/eafay70)
  * [Of Snow and Sunshine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10831776) by [eafay70](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eafay70/pseuds/eafay70)




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